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“I’m afraid not,signorina.”
Fawn made a face. “Then I guess that’s that.”Signorina.She wondered absently how that would sound if the prince would call her that as well. It would probably sound very sexy, especially if his occasionally British accent—-
Stop right there, Fawn.
Her cheeks burst with color as Fawn realized where her thoughts had headed. Holy sweet Jesus, but why did it seem like she was thinking of the prince more and more when she should be thinking of Grant and what he did to her?
“I’ll make sure to let the rest of the staff know,signorina,” Igor was saying.
She cleared her throat. “Uhh, thanks, Igor.”Think of Grant. Stop thinking of the prince.She repeated the words in her mind desperately, but somehow all she could see was a black-haired, green-eyed prince who made her shatter with the slightest touch—-
Moisture teased the triangle of her legs as memories flooded her, and she swallowed back a cry of shocked dismay.
Oh God, what was happening to her?
The older man looked at her in concern. “Is everything alright, signorina? You look rather flushed.”
“Me? Flushed?” She forced herself to laugh. “You must be imagining it.” But because she also knew Igor was too perceptive by half, she tried distracting him, asking, “Anyway, I was wondering about something.” She gestured vaguely at her surroundings. “Why is the prince’s room so...girly?”
Igor coughed at Fawn’s choice of term.Girly.He would have to tell Noah and the others about Fawn’s reaction later. But for now, he addressed Fawn’s concerns, explaining, “It is one of the master’s earlier attempts to combat his homesickness. The design reminds him of his home in England.”
“I s-see.” But actually, Fawn didn’t, and Igor’s words only made her head hurt more. Who would’ve thought someone as seemingly invincible as the prince could be vulnerable enough to pine for his family?
“If that’s all,signorina, may I show you the adjoining suite?” He gestured to the door next to the prince’s en-suite bar, and at her nod, Igor led the way to the other room. Opening the door, he explained, “We have been able to collect all your belongings from your previous residence—-”
Face gulped. That was fast,seriously fast.How could the prince have managed such a thing in so short a time?
“—-and you will find all of them here.” To demonstrate, Igor opened a few cabinets and pulled out drawers, and Fawn saw all her stuff, neatly arranged. “If you believe anything is missing or has been misplaced, please let us know,signorina.”
Igor walked farther into the suite, and Fawn followed behind him. He stopped in front of another door, and opening it, Igor murmured, “We’ve drawn your bath, signorina. Please take yourtime while I have one of the maids prepare your clothes for the night.”
Bath?Fawn cleared her throat. “The thing is, Igor, I’m not actually staying—-”
Igor’s expression turned grave. “Ah, so that how it is now,signorina.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I have been instructed to ensure you relax and have a bath before going to bed. As you know, the prince is quite strict, and I fear I shall lose my employment if he learns of my failure. But of course, because you are now the prince’s special lady, you probably no longer care—-”
“Stop trying to pull my leg.” When Igor’s grave expression didn’t change, she said uneasily, “Right?”
Igor sighed deeply. “If you care to risk my employment on a whim, signorina, then there is nothing I can do—-”
Guilt won over common sense, and Fawn’s shoulders slumped. “I get it, I get it. I’ll take a bath,okay?”
Igor was suddenly all smiles again. “Splendid,signorina.”
Fawn scowled. “Traitor.”
“My loyalty is to the master, and as I have told you once upon a time—-”
“Yes, yes, what the master wants, blah, blah, blah.” Fawn’s teeth gnashed as she realized how the prince had successfully outmaneuvered her through Igor. “You have an evil master.”
“If you think so,signorina,and yet – you are now his very special lady.”
Argh!“Stop calling me that!”
Igor’s eyes were brimming with amusement. “Signorina, you are blushing.”